Stylus recorder



Sept. 24', 1963 F. A. DAIGLER 3,

STYLUS REC ORDER Filed Aug. 8, 1961 INVENTOR. FRANKLIN A. 0/1/61. 52

United States Patent 3,104,929 STYLUS RECURDER Franklin A. Daigler, Lockport, N.Y., assngnor to American Qptical Company, Southbridge, Mass.

Filed Aug. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 130,179 2 Claims. (Cl. 346-1li5) This invention relates to recording equipment in general and pertains more particularlyto an assemblage so constructed and arranged as to permit the stylus of the recording equipment to be readily viewed for inspection purposes.

, More particularly, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus assemblage of the type having recording paper and carbon ortransfer paper associated therewith, the same having operative contact with a stylus mechanism operative to transfer the carbonaceous or equivalent material to the recording paper of the machine and, more particularly, the present invention envisage-s a specific and novel combinational relationship within such a mechanism wherein a portion of the transfer paper is exposed between component portions of the mechanism whereby the stylus may be viewed therethrough during operation of the machine or periods of rest.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement in a recording mechanism including a horizontally offset Writing member and a stationary guide member, for providing a gap therebetween and, in conjunction therewith, a light source behind the guide member to illuminate the tip of a stylus associated therewith and the transfer paper issuing between the two members and past the gap therebetween.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a mechanism of the kind set forth above a novel kind of transfer paper incorporating a synthetic plastic base covered on one side with carbonaceous or equivalent material and wherein the speed at which the carbon or transfer paper is driven is sufliciently slow as to enable the stylus to wipe clean a substantial swath thereon so that the stylus may be readily viewed therethrough as aforesaid.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of my invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detailed description of one, illustrative embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the same wherein like reference numerals denote like parts in each view, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section taken through a portion of a recording machine utilizing the principles of this invention and showing in operative association the transfer paper and the recording paper as well as the stylus and the light source whereby the stylus may be viewed during operation of the machine or at period-s of rest without requiring manipulation of the mechanism involved;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of a transfer paper illustrating the manner in which the same is wiped clean by the stylus; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken through a portion of the writing area of the machine and illustrating the manner in which the stylus cooperates with the transfer paper and the recording paper to effect the cleaning of the former.

In FIG. 1, the reference numeral indicates in general the recording machine cabinet which includes a front panel portion 12 terminating along the lower edge portion 14. Secured between the side walls, one of which is indicated by the reference character 16, of the cabinet is a fixed guide member or plate 18 having a rounded lower edge portion 20 as shown forsuitablyguiding the transfer paper indicated generally by the reference character 22. Recessed horizontally rearwardly relative to the guide plate 18 is the upper end portion 24 of the recording 3,104,929 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 I is attached in any suitable fashion to a mounting member 32, the details of which, like the details of the pen motor 30, form per se no part of the present invention. The pen motor 30 is provided with a drive shaft 34 which is osoillatorally controlled and which mounts rigidly thereon a stylus indicated generally by the reference character 36. The stylus, at least in the end portion 38 thereof, is preferably of circular cross section, see particularly FIG. 3, and preferably terminates in an upturned end portion 40 assuring that the same is out of positive contact with the transfer paper 22.

The transfer paper issues from a supply roll indicated generally by the reference character 42 and thence over a guide member 44 to extend in closely underlying relationship to the stylus 36 towards the panel 24. The recording paper, on the other hand, is provided with a supply roll, not shown, and issues therefrom in the portion 46 over the sloping rear face of the upper edge of the writing panel 24 and thence over the horizontal edge portion dfithereof, see particularly FIG. 3, and thence downwardly over the front face 50 of the panel. The transfer paper 22, on the other hand, overlies the recording paper 28 in that portion thereof which is engaged over the horizontal or substantially horizontal upper edge 43 as aforementioned and it will be appreciated that the stylus 38 operatively presses the transfer paper against the recording paper at this point. Thus, the combined pressure of the stylus portion 38 and the movement of the transfer paper 22 and the recording paper 23 effects a continuous mark on the recording paper 28 in that portion 52 thereof which issues downwardly over the front face of the panel 24 A suitable light source indicated generally by the reference character 56 in 'FIG. 1 is located behind the stationary guide member 18 and above the panel 24 so that the tip of the stylus may be viewed through the portion 5% of the transfer paper, see FIG. 3, which is between the gap provided by the spacing between the rear face 6% or" the guide member 18 and the front face 50 of the panel 24. As is shown in FIG. 3, the transfer paper includes a base 62, preferably constructed of synthetic plastic material coated on one side with a film64 of carbonaceous or equivalent material. As is illustrated clearly in FIG. 3, the film 64 will be wiped clean from the base 62 by the stylus tip 38 leaving the portion 58 and the remaining portion therebeyond clean and free of the carbonaceous film or its equivalent, thus rendering the portion 58 transparent, inasmuch as the base is of a transparent material, so that the tip of the stylus may be easily viewed even during operation of the mechanism.

FIG. 2 clearly illustrates this point. 'In this figure, reference character 66 indicates a portion of the transfer paper and the area designated by the reference character 67 represents the area coated by the carbonaceous or equivalent film whereas in this figure, the portion 68 shows a portion which has been wiped clean of the film and is thus rendered transparent since the base of the material is of transparent character.

It is to be understood that certain changes and modifications as illustrated and described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a recording machine, a cabinet having a front wall provided with an opening, a panel disposed in said opening and defining, a the upper edge thereof, a record transfer surface for a supply of recording paper passing thereover and thence downwardly over the front face of i said panel, said upper edge of the panel being rearwardly tioned ahead of said upper edge of the panel to define a gap therewith and rearwardly of said front wall, means for transporting a supply of transfer paper over said upper edge of the panel, under the guidermember and upwardly in front of said guide member, a movable stylus locally pressing said transfer paper against said recording paper at said record transfer surface, and a source of light mounted in-said cabinet behind said guide member to illuminate said gap.

2. In a recording machine of the type having a record sheet supply, a transfer sheet supply, means for di-V recting the transfer sheet into localized face to face contact with the record sheet, and stylus means for locally pressing the transfer sheet against the record sheet to effect a mark on the latter; improvement consisting in guide means spaced beyond the end of said stylus, takeup means for said transfer sheet above said guide means whereby said transfer paper issues substantially horizontally from said point of pressure contact to pass beyond the end of the stylus, then under the guide means and thence upwardly to said take-up means, said record paper being diverted downwardly just beyond the point of pres- 1 sure contact with said stylus substantially at a right angle to that portion of the transfer sheet between the point of pressure contact and the guide'means, and a light source behind that portion of the transfer sheet between said point of pressure contact and said guide means so that the stylus may be viewed therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,039,105 Schaeder et al. Jan. 12 1962 V FOREIGN PATENTS France Nov/28, 1955 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 104 929 September 24, 1963 Franklin A. Daigler It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 71, for "a", first occurrence read at Signed and sealed this 31st day of March 1964.

SEAL) ttest:

ERNEST w, SWIDER EDWARD BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A RECORDING MACHINE, A CABINET HAVING A FRONT WALL PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING, A PANEL DISPOSED IN SAID OPENING AND DEFINING, A THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF, A RECORD TRANSFER SURFACE FOR A SUPPLY OF RECORDING PAPER PASSING THEREOVER AND THENCE DOWNWARDLY OVER THE FRONT FACE OF SAID PANEL, SAID UPPER EDGE OF THE PANEL BEING REARWARDLY OFFSET RELATIVE TO THE EDGE OF SAID FRONT WALL DEFINING THE UPPER EDGE OF THE OPENING THEREIN, A GUIDE MEMBER POSITIONED AHEAD OF SAID UPPER EDGE OF THE PANEL TO DEFINE A GAP THEREWITH AND REARWARDLY OF SAID FRONT WALL, MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING A SUPPLY OF TRANSFER PAPER OVER SAID UPPER EDGE OF THE PANEL, UNDER THE GUIDE MEMBER AND UPWARDLY IN FRONT OF SAID GUIDE MEMBER, A MOVABLE STYLUS LOCALLY PRESSING SAID TRANSFER PAPER AGAINST SAID RECORDING PAPER AT SAID RECORD TRANSFER SURFACE, AND A SOURCE OF LIGHT MOUNTED IN SAID CABINET BEHIND SAID GUIDE MEMBER TO ILLUMINATE SAID GAP. 